Forging a Global Academic Partnership, UIN Jakarta and Hartford International University for Religion and Peace Agree to Collaborate
Jakarta, UIN News Online — UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta and Hartford International University for Religion and Peace (HIU), United States, have agreed to establish an academic partnership. This commitment was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the Dinner, Discussion, and MoU Signing event held at Hotel Borobudur Jakarta on Thursday (August 20, 2026).
The MoU was signed directly by institutional leaders: the Rector of UIN Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., and the President of Hartford International University, Sherry L. Turner, Ph.D., attended by officials and delegates from both institutions.
Representing UIN Jakarta were the Vice Rector for Cooperation and Institutional Affairs, Din Wahid, M.A., Ph.D.; Dean of the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Prof. Ismatu Ropi, Ph.D.; Vice Director of the Graduate School, Prof. Yusuf Rahman, Ph.D.; Head of the International Cooperation Center (PLKI), Prof. Arif Zamhari, M.A., Ph.D.; and PLKI Coordinator, Irfan Zamzami, Ph.D.
Hartford International University was represented by the Dean of the Master of Arts in Interreligious Studies, Dr. Deena Grant, Ph.D., and the Director of the Master of Arts in Peacebuilding, Phoebe Milliken.
During the meeting, both parties exchanged views on higher education governance in Indonesia and the United States, including institutional development, academic programming, and institutional strategies for navigating evolving dynamics in global higher education.
Rector Asep Jahar outlined UIN Jakarta’s strategic progress, detailing academic programs, institutional strengthening, campus facilities, and long-term development plans. He also highlighted the expansion of UIN Jakarta’s health infrastructure, including its two teaching hospitals, as integral components of the university’s education and service ecosystem.
According to Rector Asep Jahar, international cooperation must focus on producing concrete outcomes. Internationalization is not merely about expanding institutional networks, but about establishing high-impact academic collaborations.
“We envision this partnership growing into substantive knowledge exchange, collaborative research, academic mobility, and joint program development that deliver real value to the global community,” he said.
Subsequent discussions explored potential collaborations in religious studies, interreligious studies, and peacebuilding. Planned initiatives include faculty and student exchanges, joint research projects, international conferences, and cooperative academic curriculum development.
Rector Asep highlighted the strong synergy between both institutions in these academic domains. “UIN Jakarta has extensive expertise in Islamic studies and pluralistic societies, while Hartford holds deep strengths in religious studies and peacebuilding,” he observed.
The integration of academic perspectives from UIN Jakarta and Hartford University presents a strong foundation for productive academic engagement. “We are optimistic that this initiative will meet the cooperative targets we have established,” he added.
The signed MoU serves as an operative roadmap for both universities to roll out targeted cooperative programs across agreed disciplines. Both institutions emphasized that the partnership will extend beyond formal documentation into tangible academic execution.
“The most critical phase following the MoU is implementation. We look forward to executing concrete programs that connect our faculty and students, foster joint research, and open wider platforms for academic dialogue,” Rector Asep emphasized.
The event concluded with an exchange of mementos between the delegations, symbolizing mutual friendship and institutional commitment. The partnership between UIN Jakarta and Hartford International University is slated to broaden international academic networks while advancing scholarship in religious studies, interfaith dialogue, and global peacebuilding.